Jolting apparatus



June 24, 1969 c. G. MATSON 3,451,658

J OLTING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1968 Sheet of 5 es 144 (02 lbs loo 72 140 l FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

C.G.MATSON fr i June 24, 1969 c. G MAT SON JOLTING APPARATUS 5 ors Sheet Flled March 20, 1968 United States Patent US. Cl. 259-91 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jolting or settling apparatus has upper and lower parts and an interposed lifting and lowering device including a fluid-pressurizible and exhaustible flexiblewalled structure expansible and contractible to abruptly raise and lower the upper part. The structure includes a protective enclosure to minimize the entry of dirt and other foreign matter and the exhaust includes duct means to blow away dirt, etc. Where the table or equivalent is of substantial area, a plurality of similar devices may be sandwiched therein to assure uniform raising and lowermg.

Background of the invention Jolting and settling tables and equivalent apparatus are well known expedients employed to jolt or otherwise impart vertical shocks to a large variety of materials for the purpose of compacting such materials in containers. Examples are current in concrete settling apparatus, foundry equivalent and the like. The basic theory is that a movable upper part is elevated relative to a floor or equivalent supporting bed or base, being either stopped abruptly against a set of stops or dropped suddenly against the base or bed. Apparatus of this type is ordinarily quite large and a good deal of effort and planning is required to design and maintain the necessary raising and lowering means. Where several such means are used, a problem arises in securing equalized or uniform movement without racking. Where the apparatus is large, it is cumbersome and lacks portability and flexibility.

Summary of the invention According to the present invention, a lifting and lowering device is provided that may be used singly or in multiples. In the latter instance, its basic design is such that a plurality of such devices may be uniformly distributed in modular fashion in a jolting or like apparatus having substantial area. The modular arrangement, especially with stabilizing and equalizing means, insures uniform and level movement without racking, twisting etc. Consequently, the jolting results in an even distribution of forces and shocks and them aterial is settled, compacted, etc. evenly and in level fashion. Each raising and lowering device is so designed and constructed that it is relatively flat or thin; i.e., it has a relatively small vertical dimension, being of pancake nature and as such easily sandwiched and removed from between the upper and lower parts of a jolting etc. apparatus. This reduces the overall height of the entire system. The plurality of devices may be easily manifolded in parallel, assuring uniformity of operation, and the manifolding is such that fluid lines are short, of equal length and Without bends and restrictions so that uniformity of fiow of the pressure medium-normally compressed air-results.

Each lifting and lowering device includes a flexiblewalled relatively thin envelope structure, generally of pancake nature, substantially enclosed and protected by a concentric or equiavlent enclosure which minimizes the entry of dirt, grit, and the like resulting from the environment in which the apparatus is used. Further, the protective skirt preferably depends from the upper element of the device so that all escape openings face downwardly for easy exit of whatever grit etc. happens to enter the enclosure. Still further, the air exhausted from the envelope or diaphragm as it contracts to lower the apparatus is led to the enclosure so as to blow away any accumulations of grit etc. Where a plurality of devices are used, a valving system of an automatic type may be used, preferably including electrically timed operators to facilitate use and operation of a complete system.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan of one of the lifting and lowering devices;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan, on a reduced scale, showing an arrangement employing a plurality of devices;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a schematic of a typical valve arrangement;

FIG. 9 is a perspective of a part of the equalizing means.

Description of a preferred embodiment The upper part of a representative jolting, etc. apparatus is designated in general by the numeral 10 and here comprises a rectangular frame made up of a plurality of upper I-beams 12 and end channels 14 welded or otherwise rigidly secured to a plurality of lower cross I- beams 16 and end channels 18. This entire rigid frame rests, or is otherwise supported, on a base, bed or floor, here representative of a fixed lower part 20. The frame or upper part 10 is movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the base or floor 20 and is adapted to carry, in any suitable and well known manner and thus not shown here, a platform, table, container, etc. supporting material, also not shown, to be jolted, settled, compacted etc., it being understood by those versed in the art that the vertical movement is quite small and the frequency somewhat on the low side, the theory being that the shocks resulting from jolting, either against upward or lower limiting stops rather than rapidity of motion or vibration, are relied upon to produce the necessary results.

In the representative example illustrated especially in FIG. 4, the frame or upper part 10 is of substantial area, say, on the order of an eight by twelve foot rectangle, and this arrangement affords four foot by four foot modules as measured between the central I-beam 12 and the end channels 14 (dimension A) and between either end channel 18 and midway between the second and third I-beams from said channels (dimension B). In short, the frame in its narrow dimension is twice A and in its long dimension is three times B. Stated otherwise, each module is A B, Where A equals B.

Centered in each module is a force-exerting or lifting and lowering device 22, to be described later in detail, capable of creating the necessary vertical movements of the frame or upper part 10 relative to the bed or lower part 20.

Although it is feasible that the devices 22 can be connected and operated in unison to create uniform movements of the upper part 10, it is preferable, especially in structures of dimensions equal to or greater than that shown, to provide means contributing to the equalization of these movements. Accordingly, there are shown here a pair of equalizing means 24 and 26, the former lying along and parallel to one channel 14 and the latter similarly arranged with respect to the channel 18. The means 24 includes an elongated torque member 28, preferably a tube, having secured to each of its opposite ends, as by welding, a triangular arm 30. Each arm has oppositely directed integral lower cars 32 and 34 (FIG. 9) and these are mounted respectively to the frame and to the floor 20, each mount including resilient members in the form of rubber bushings, such as those shown at 36 in the similar mounting of each of a pair of triangular arms 33 secured to opposite ends of a torque tube 40 for the equalizer 26 (FIG. 6), each arm 38 having oppositely turned integral ears 42 and 44 connected via the rubber bushings respectively to the proximate channel 16 and to the floor or base 20. As the lifting devices 22 exert raising forces, the frame 10 carries the frame-connected ends of the arms 30 and 38 upwardly, the rubber bushings or mounts yielding as pivots and the torque tubes 28 and 40 transmitting twisting forces to the opposite arms so that the frame is lifted and lowered evenly. It is found unnecessary to duplicate the torque or equalizing means along the other edges of the rectangular frame 10. This depends somewhat upon the number of devices 22 employed and the sizes of the modules on which they are centered, these of course being variables that can easily be altered on the basis of the present disclosure.

Each device 22 comprises lower and upper elements 50 and 52 respectively, the former being preferably in the form of a plate having a plurality of apertures 54 for receiving pins 56 (FIG. 4) to fasten the device to the fioor or lower part 20, at least against lateral shifting, for the vertical action and reaction will normally be sufficient to cause the devices to retain their interpositions between the floor and frame 10. The plate 50 is spaced above and rests on the floor 20 by means of spacers 58, 60, 62 and 64, some of which provide parts of duct or manifold means to be presently described. In any event, the spacer means are in the form of steel strips, channels and small plates, all welded together and to the plate 50 so as to form integral structural parts thereof, the spacer 64 being a channel welded to the under side of the plate 50 at 66, the spacer 60 being a strip with end parts 68 Welded in at 70, and the spacer 62 being likewise a strip with an end part 72 welded in at 74 and with its other end welded at 76 to the channel 64. Additional channels 78, welded to the plate 50 at 80, provide further spacers and add to the simplicity and strength of the construction.

The upper element 52 is preferably also a plate having peripheral edge portions 82 bent down and supplemented by welded-in corner plates 84 to provide a depending peripheral skirt having a lower edge 86 capable of abutting the upper or top surface 88 of the plate 50-. The skirt thus spaces the element '52 upwardly from the plate 50 so that the former has an under surface or face 90 spatially confronting the upper surface 88 of the latter, and these surfaces, in combination with the peripheral interior of the skirt 8284 afford a chamber 92 for housing a flexible-walled envelope 94 of elastomer or elastomer-fabric material of any well-known composition, This envelope or diaphragm is circular about the central axis of the structure made up of the elements 50 and 52 and the envelope itself, and is relatively thin in vertical dimension so as to partake of a pancake configuration, having an internal chamber 96 and upper and lower walls 98 and 100 integral with a peripheral annular wall 102. The exterior surfaces of the upper and lower walls respectively establish flat interfaces 104 and 106 with the proximate surfaces of the elements 52 and 50, and it will be clear that when the envelope 94 is inflated or pressurized its opposed walls 98 and 100 will move vertically apart, acting respectively against the elements 52 and 50 to raise the upper apparatus part or frame 10. Likewise, when the envelope is deflated or exhausted, the upper part 10 will descend by its own weight, being stopped abruptly by a combination of engagement of the lower skirt edge 86 with the top 88 of the plate 4 50 and engagement of the undersurface of the member 52 with the top edge of a peripheral upstanding wall 108 welded at 110 to the top of the plate 50. The parts just described, or portions thereof, establish downward limits or stops on descent of the upper element 52 and the frame 10 carried thereby through the interposition of blocks 112 under the I-beams 12. If desired, the de Sign could be such that the I-beams 12 are carried directly by the elements 50, but this again is a variable without significance so far as concerns the basic idea.

As means for establishing upward limiting stop means, the plate '50 has a plurality of sturdy studs 114 screwed into it, and each stud is surrounded by a sleeve 116 (FIG. 7) surmounted by a washer 118 limited by the head 120 of the stud. Thus, as shown by the broken lines in FIG. 3, the element 52 is stopped against the washers 118 to abruptly stop upward travel of the frame 10 as the device envelopes 94 are inflated or pressurized.

For the purpose of leading pressurizing fluid (here preferably compressed air) to the interior chamber 96 of each envelope 94, the plate 50 has a central circular opening 122 into which a sleeve or collar 124 is fixed by welding at 126. An externally flanged or ribbed collar 128 is molded into the lower wall 100 of the envelope and fits the exterior of the collar 124, an appropriate fluid seal being employed at 130. It is thus apparent that fluid pressure introduced through the collar 124 enters the envelope 94 to inflate or pressurize it, exerting an upward expanding force on the element 52 so as to lift the frame of upper part 10. It is likewise clear that the envelope 94 may be exhausted or depres-surized to effect descent of the upper part or frame 10. For this purpose, the spacer 60, constructed airtight as described above, provides a duct or passage 132 leading at one end to the collar or sleeve 124 and at its other end to an opening 134 in the plate 50. The plate '50 has an inlet opening 136 and an exhaust opening 138, the former being part of an inlet passage 140 in the spacer 64 and the latter leading to a passage 142 in the spacer 62, which passage opens via openings 144 and 146 through the plate 50 to the exhaust chamber 92 within the protective enclosure 82-84108.

The three openings 134, 136 and 138 provide an ideal mounting and utilization for a face-mounted valve 148, which may be of any conventional construction, such as those commercially available from Parker-Hannifin, and internally ported as shown schematically in FIG. 8 to accomplish the selective pressurizing and exhausting of the passage 134-132 to the envelope 94. For example, any source of fluid pressure, such as an air compressor 150 is connected through a line including a typical regulating valve 152 to the opening 136. In the neutral position of the valve, no air is passed to the inlet opening 136, and the exhaust opening 138 and passage 142 are likewise blocked oif. When the valve is shifted to the right as seen in FIG. 8, the inlet 136 is connected via 154 to the opening 134 and thus to the passage 132 to expand or inflate the envelope 94, causing the upper element to rise and abruptly strike the stops 118. When the valve is shifted to the left, the passage 132 is connected via the opening 134 to the exhaust opening 138 via 156 and thus to the passage or line 142, which leads to the interior chamber 92 at 144 and 146 as the upper element 52 descends and abruptly strikes the stops at 86 and 108. The purpose of leading the exhaust to the chamber 92 at 144 and 146 is to blow away any dirt, grit etc. that ma have entered the chamber, particularly in the areas of the interfaces at 104 and 106, because such grit would tend to abrade the outer surfaces of the envelope upper and lower walls 98 and 100. This implements the protective barriers aiforded by the depending skirt 82-84 and the intervening peripheral wall 108. In addition, the vents for the exhausting air and entrained dirt, grit, etc. are between the lower edge 86 of the skirt 82-84 and the plate 50, which is a downward direction so as to be assisted by gravity. The plurality of exhaust openings 144 and 146 assures even distribution of the exhaust flow.

Where a plurality of devices 22 are used, a central line 158 may be employed, having a like plurality of hoses or conduits 160 leading to the inlets 136 of the devices. Of course, the valves 148 are duplicated as necessary and these are tied together by an electrical system in which the valves are solenoid-operated, as at 162, and each solenoid may be equipped with an electrical timer 164 (FIG. 8) so as to make the operation automatic. These details may of course be varied. The hoses 160 are all of the same length so as to assure uniform flow and pressure, causing all devices 22 to function in unison. Other features and advantages will readily occur to those versed in the art.

I claim:

1. In jolting apparatus having a fixed lower part and a vertically movable upper part, the improvement residing in a lifting and lowering device comprising upper and lower elements spaced vertically apart and interposed between respectively acting respectively upwardly and downwardly against said parts, a flexible-walled envelope structure interposed between said elements and selectively fiuid-pressurizible and -exhaustible respectively for alternate vertical expansion and contraction for raising and lowering said upper part, and duct means connected With said structure for fluid-pressurizing and exhausting same.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which the duct means includes an exhaust passage leading from the interior of said structure to the exterior thereof in areas of contact between said structure and at least one of said elements.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which the upper and lower elements respectively have faces confronting upper and lower faces of the envelope and the passage means leads to said confronting faces.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which at least one of said elements is provided with a peripheral skirt in protective enclosing relation to said structure, and said passage means leads to the interior of said skirt.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 in which the skirt is carried by and depends from the upper element.

6. The invention defined in claim 4, in which the passage has a plurality of openings leading to the interior of said skirt.

7. The invention defined in claim 4, in which the lower element has a peripheral wall secured to and rising therefrom in cooperative relation to said skirt.

8. The invention defined in claim 1, in which at least one of said elements is provided with a peripheral skirt in protective enclosing relation to said structure.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 in which the skirt is carried by and depends from the upper element.

10. The invention defined in claim 9, in which the lower element has a peripheral wall secured to and rising therefrom in cooperative relation to said skirt.

11. The invention defined in claim 1, including a plurality of similar devices interposed between said parts and uniformly spaced relative to the overall area of said upper part and the duct means is constructed and arranged to pressurize said devices simultaneously.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, in which the duct means is connected to said devices in parallel.

13. The invention defined in claim 11, including equalizing means interconnected between the upper and lower parts to cause all portions of said upper part to raise or lower in substantial unison.

14. The invention defined in claim 1, in which the duct means is arranged beneath the lower element.

15. The invention defined in claim 14, in which the duct means comprises a plurality of conduits carried by the lower element.

16. The invention defined in claim 1, in which the lower element has a central opening therein and the envelope has a central passage in register with said opening.

17. The invention defined in claim 1 in which said envelope is freely removable from between said elements.

18. The invention defined in claim 1 in which said elements are of plate-like construction of relatively thin construction and is sandwiched between said elements.

19. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the elements respectively have vertically cooperative peripheral portions affording a protective border for said envelope.

20. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the elements include cooperative removable stops limiting relative vertical movement therebetween and enabling ready removal of the envelope.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,086 1/1912 Norcross 164206 1,105,821 8/1914 Mumford 164-206 1,947,398 2/1934 Stuhler 25991 3,270,375 9/1966 Young 25991 X 3,356,132 12/1967 Miller 259-91 ROBERT W. JENKINS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 164206 

